Toy power shovel



y 23, 1951 c. E. SOWELL 2,985,326

TOY POWER SHOVEL Filed April 27, 1959 2 sheet s ggleet 1 i 4 i 15 I o- 23 25 |24 n s 2 I 26 L HUN 1 4 I 11 'i 10 in 44 22 W 58 55 53 INVENTOR.

CLYDE E. SOWELL HIS ATTORNEY May 23, 1961 c. E. SOWELL TOY POWER SHOVEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1959 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

FIG. 9 INVENTOR.

CLYDE E. SOWELL BY WW WL HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent() TOY POWER SI-IOVEL Clyde E. Sowell, 2928 Grant, Ogden, Utah Filed Apr. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 809,104

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-135) The present invention relates to toy power shovels for childrens use and, more particularly, to a new and improved toy power shovel which will simulate the performance of real power shovels.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toy power shovel which simulates wide versatility in its having boom hoist, bucket hoist, and haul-back and crowd controls independent of each other.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide easily operated means for satisfactorily braking the descent of the bucket scoop when the spring-loaded latch of the same is released.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel saddle slide for the bucket stick to enable the accomplishment of the realistic, haul-back and crowd operation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel slack take-up drum at the bucket end of the haul-back and crowd cable system so as to compensate for variation in beam displacement made from time to time.

According to the present invention three winch drum systems are provided for accomplishing boom hoist, bucket hoist, and the bucket, haul-back and crowd operations. Where the axes of pivotal rotation of the boom hoist and the haul-back and crowd drums are concentric, then no slack take-up drum need be employed in the haulback and crowd system. When, however, non-concentricity exists in the axes of pivotal movement of the boom and haul-back and crowd drum, then a novel slack takeup drum arrangement is used (hereinafter described). Of particular importance in connection With bucket hoist system is the fact that the hoist drum employs a ratchet wheel which selectively cooperates with a spring loaded latch, normally in engagement with a ratchet wheel. When the operator actuates the latch lever so as to disengage the latch from ratchet wheel, the bucket scoop will immediately fall to the ground. This falling of the bucket scoop may be controlled by a braking action which is supplied by a lever in close proximity with the latch control. In fact, these two controls may be so arranged as to be simultaneously actuated by the respective application of thumb and finger pressure thereto. Hence, during the unlatching of the bucket, the fall may be regulated by the braking control of the shovel.

The bucket stick itself is keyed to its respective saddle slide, either by its non-circular configuration or by separate key means, so as to prevent twisting of the. bucket stick within the slide proper. A saddle slide is employed rather than a slot in the bucket stick so as to preserve strength and rigidity in the bucket stick, enable easy disassembly of the unit, avoid wear of the cooperating parts due to the successive oscillations of the bucket stick within its respective slide, prevent accumulations of sand within the cooperating parts to occur, and so forth. In addition, the haul-back and crowd cable is arranged so as to be in line with and close to the bucket stick and shovel beam, so as to be out of the way.

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An additional, important feature of the invention reincluding braking means or not, may be such as to render the bucket selectively free-falling, the haul-back and crowd system cooperating therewith so as to enable the transport of the falling bucket from elevated position to crowd position in the shortest possible time.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a right side elevation of a toy power shovel of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the toy power shovel shown in Figure 1, with the roof of the cab being broken away for purposes of clarity.

Figure 2A is a fragmentary elevation taken along the arrow 2A in Figure 2 and illustrates the latch return spring and its mounting within the cab of the invention.

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3--3 in Figure 2 and illustrates the rear elevation of the bucket scoop when the same incorporates a slack adjustment drum means designed to take up slack in the haul-back and crowd cable where the axes of the outwardly extending .of the invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, shown partially in crosssection, and taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 2 so as to illustrate the novel saddle slide employed in the present invention.

Figure 7 is a plan view taken along the line 7-7 in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrates an alternative embodiment of the saddle slide wherein the same and enclosed bucket stick are of non-circular crosssection.

Figure 9 is a view taken along the line 99 in Figure 8. In Figures 1 and 2 the undercarriage 10 of the toy power shovel 11 in the present invention includes top plate 12 and is strictly conventional in design. Apertures 13 are drilled through the floor 14 of the cab 15 and also through top plate 12 so as to provide mounting apertures for pivot screw 16, the latter being secured by nut 17 (shown in dotted line). The floor 14 of cab 15 rests upon a plurality of rubber rollers 18, the latter being mounted upon a plurality of axles 19 which are secured to the underside of the floor 14 of the cab in any conventional manner. The rubber rollers 18 revolve about their respective axle so that the cab may be easily turned upon these rollers through 360 of rotation in a very easy, noiseless manner and while the undercarriage 10 remains stationary.

The cab 15 and undercarriage 10, together with all fundamental structure thereof will be designated hereinafter as body 20. Body 20 includes a pair of halfpartitions 21 and 22 which are provided with apertures 23 to journal the haul-back and crowd drum 24, the hoist drum 25, and the boom hoist drum 26. The axle 27 of the haul-back and crowd drum 24 is turned into a handle 28. Correspondingly, the axle 29 of boom hoist drum 26 is turned into a handle 30. Axle 31 associated with hoist drum 25 has a ratchet wheel 32 keyed to it and is provided with a brack disc 33 having an eccentrically mounted handle 34. This handle 34 may in fact include a sleeve 35 and a screw 36 threaded into an accommodating aperture (not shown) in disc '33. Brake "lever. 37 includes, a shoe 38 which cooperates with the periphery of disc 33. 'Brake lever 37 isheld in place byclip 39 which is fastened to the body 20 structure, i.e., the cab 15, by screw 4.0,'n-ut 41 and spaceri42. The mounting of brake lever 37 must be pivotal; thus, the spacer 42 preferably is threaded, threads upon screw 40, and may in fact comprise a nut similar to nut 41. Ratchet wheel 32 is engaged by a latch 43 which is connected by arm 44 and perpendicular arm 45 to ratchet release lever 46. Apertures 47 and 48 are found in the latch 43 and the cab semi-partition 22, respectively, so as to mount return spring 50. Hoist cable 51 passes over pulleys 52 and 53 and by terminals 54 thereof connects to bucket scoop 55 via mounting screws 56, wraps around the hoist drum 25, and connects in such a manner thereto that rotation of hoist drum 25 by handle 34 in a clockwise direction will operate to hoist the bucket scoop whereas, when the hand is removed from handle '34 and latch 43 is in disengagement from ratchet wheel 42, the weight of the bucket scoop 55 will cause hoist drum 25 to unwind in a counterclockwise direction so as to permit the bucket scoop 55 to drop. A particular feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the dropping of the bucket scoop 55 may be controlled by the application of brake shoe 38 (by brake lever 37) to the periphery of disc 33. Another feature exists in the fact that, whether including braking means or not, the bucket hoist system is such as to render the bucket 55 in a sense free-falling when this system is unlatched, the haul-back and crowd system cooperating therewith so as to enable the transport of the falling bucket to its haul-back and subsequently to its crowd position in the shortest possible time. Of course, no dropping of the bucket will exist at all until latch lever 46 is rotationally displaced in a counter-clockwise direction so as to release latch 43 from ratchet wheel 32. It is to be noticed, with particular reference to Figure 1, that the latch may be released and the brake applied to disc 33 simultaneously so as to control the dropping of the bucket scoop 55. This is an important part of the present invention. This feature is enabled only when the brake lever 37 and the latch lever 46 are in close proximity, are substantially parallel (or nearly so) to each other, and where advancement of the two toward each other produces actuation of each. Thus, the thumb and finger pressure of the operator may serve to control both of the functions above described.

Boom 57 is of bifurcated construction and has arms 58, braces 59 and 60, and axle 61 disposed through apertures 62 at the ends of arms 58 and is mounted by means of apertures 63 and pin 64 to mounting ears 65 of the body 20. Boom hoist cable 66 has an end connector 67 which is secured by screw 68 to the cab super-structure 69, the latter including a gantry 70 having pulleys 71 and 72. Cable 66 leads from screw 68 around pulley 73 (mounted to shaft 61), passes around pulleys 72 and (then) 71 of gantry 70, over pulley 74 (also mounted upon shaft 61), around gantry pulley 75, through cab aperture 76 to wind about boom hoist drum 26 and be secured thereto. The boom hoist drum 26 may include a ratchet (not shown) similar to that incorporated in the hoist drum 25 structure, or pulley and drum friction may be suflicient to prevent the unwinding of boom hoist drum 26 due to the weight of the beam itself and other associated structure. The raising and lowering of the boom 57 is strictly conventional.

The saddle slide means 77 (see Figures 2, 6 and 7) includes a saddle slide 78, a lower sleeve 79 ridgedly afi'ixed thereto, a pivot axle or shaft 80 journalled through the sleeve 79 and affixed to arms 58 of the beam 57, and a pair of pulleys 81 and 82 mounted to the axle 80. If desired, the axle 80 may have flanges (or washers) 83 and 84 which butt against the interior surfaces of the boom arms 58, with the ends of axle '80 protruding at least in part therethrough. The saddle slide is of split construction having guide slit 85, and the bucket stick 86 may include a longitudinal key or rib 87 to cooperate with the slit 85. The cooperation of the slit and the key just mentioned prevents the turning of the bucket stick within its respective saddle slide.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate thatnrather than haye a bucket stick and saddle slide of generally circular cross section, a non-circular and perhaps square cross-section may be used. The square-type bucket stick is illustrated as 86, and the saddle slide is designated 78' in these figures. Of course, if desired, the bucket stick and saddle slide may be of any non-circular cross-section, and, if preferred, the bucket stick may be solid and the saddle slide split.

The haul-back and crowd cable 88 wraps around drum 24 and passes over pulley 81 to connect (at its end connector) at one end thereof and by screw 89 to the end 90 of bucket stick 86. The remaining end of cable 88 connects to the opposite end of the bucket stick 91 (or at some point which is close to the junction of the bucket stick and the bucket scoop) by screw 92, and from thence leads around pulley 82 to extend back to the drum 24. Thus, regardless of the way the crank 28 is turned, one length of cable will wind upon drum 24 whereas the other length of the cable will unwind from drum 24 so as either to extend or, alternatively, withdraw the bucket stick 86 and bucket scoop 55 relative to saddle slide means 77.

It is thus noted that the hoisting and dropping of bucket scoop 55 is controlled by the action of drum 25, whereas the extension and withdrawal of the bucket stick itself is accomplished by the action of haul-back and crowd drum 24. It will of course be understood that there will be some slight rotational displacement of the bucket stick as it extends and withdraws in its saddle slide by virtue of the fixed length condition of the cable 51 attachment to the bucket. However, this action is quite normal and in fact realistic when compared to actual power shovels in use in heavy construction work. The mounting of the bucket stick within saddle slide means 77 is deemed much superior than were a simple slot provided in the bucket stick proper, for obvious reasons of wear, strength of the bucket stick and disassembly.

Assume that, instead of the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2, the true condition is that the boom 57 is pivoted at its arms 58 to shaft or axial 27 of the haulback and crowd drum as is shown in Figure 5. In this event it has been found there need be no slack take-up adjustment for the haul-back and crowd cable 88. Where, however, the pivot axes of the boom of the haul-back and crowd drum are non-concentric, it has been learned that, while not absolutely necessary, it is preferably to include a slack take-up means for adjusting cable tightness in accordance with the relative positioning of the boom. Such means is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. In these figures a slack adjustment take-up drum 90' has an L-configured mount axle 91 which is soldered or otherwise afiixed at one end 92' to the rear of the bucket scoop 55 and is bent at the remaining end 93 to retain drum 90'. Cable 88, instead of connecting at 92 in Figure 2, wraps around the drum 90' to proceed via pulley 82 (in Figure 2) to the haul-back and crowd drum. A U-shaped mount 94 is afiixed to the rear side of the bucket scoop 55 by screw 95 and has a pair of aligned apertures 96 which journal shaft 97 of adjustment crank 98. Spur gear 99 is secured to the drum 90' whereas spur gear 100, in cooperation therewith, is mounted to shaft 97. Thus, the turning of crank 98 will turn the adjustment drum 90 in the manner desired. The drum 90 includes a non-circular (and perhaps square) end 101 which selectively cooperates with receiving aperture 102 of retainer element 103. The retainer 103 is backed by compression spring 104 and is seated within sleeve 105 which is closed at end 106. The sleeve 105 includes a slot 107 which is adapted to receive in slideable fashion the pin 108 aifixed to retainer 103. Thus, in the absence of thumb or finger pressure upon pin 108 end 101 will be in engagement with opening 102 or retainer 103, preventing the inadvertent rotation of drum 90. When, however, thumb or finger pressure is applied to the pin 108 so as to translate the same in a direction to the left, end 101 will become disengaged with opening 102 of retainer 103 so as to permit the drum 90 to be turned by crank 98. It has been found that this adjustment may be desired after boom displacements (which are accomplished by the turning of crank 30 in Figure 2).

The door 107 of bucket scoop 55 in Figure 1 is of strictly conventional design, having a spring loaded latch 108, a pair of pivot arms 109 pivotally afiixed to mounting ears 110, and latch engaging member 111. Latch string 112, aifixed to the spring loaded latch 108 at one end and the cab 15 at the remaining end, serves to open and close the latch of the bucket door as desired.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and dmcribed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A toy power shovel comprising a body, a boom projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom, a bucket stick, means for mounting said bucket stick intermediate its ends to said boom in a region intermediate the ends of the latter for longitudinal and pivotal movement, a bucket scoop afiixed to one end of said bucket stick, first pulley means rotatably afiixed to said boom in proximity with the outermost, projecting end thereof, a rotatable hoist drum mounted to said body, means aflixed to said hoist drum for rotating the same, first cable means connected to and wound about said hoist drum, passing over said first pulley means, and connected to said bucket scoop to raise and lower the same in accordance with the rotative movement of said hoist drum, a rotatable haulback and crowd drum also mounted to said body, second and third, axially aligned pulley means afiixed to said boom in the vicinity of the area of cooperation of said boom with said bucket stick, second cable means affixed at one end to one end of said bucket stick, at the remaining end to a point in proximity with the remaining end of said bucket stick, intermediately wound around said haul-back and crowd drum, and parallel lengths of some in between said ends and said haul-back and crowd drum respectively passing over said second and third pulley means, means for so afiixing said second cable means remaining end, a ratchet wheel coupled to said hoist drum for rotation therewith, latch means mounted to said body for engaging said ratchet wheel, a lever pivotally affixed to said body and coupled to said latch means for disengaging said latch means and said ratchet wheel, said means aflixed to said hoist drum for rotating the same including a revolving disc, braking means having a shoe engaging said disc at the periphery thereof and a pivoted brake lever mounted to said body afiixed to said shoe, said brake lever and said latch lever being in proximity with each other and being simultaneously actuatable by the respective application of thumb and finger pressure thereto.

2. A toy power shovel comprising a body, a boom projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom, a bucket stick, means for mounting said bucket stick intermediate its ends to said boom in a region intermediate the ends of the latter for longitudinal and pivotal movement, haulback and crowd means coupled to said bucket stick, a

bucket scoop afixed to one end of said bucket stick, first pulley means rotatably aflixed to said boom in proximity with the outermost, projecting end thereof, a rotatable hoist drum mounted to said body, means aflixed to said hoist drum for rotating the same, first cable means connected to and wound about said hoist drum, passing over said first pulley means, and connected to said bucket scoop to raise and lower the same in accordance with the rotative movement of said hoist drum, a ratchet wheel coupled to said hoist drum for rotation therewith, latch means mounted to said body for engaging said ratchet wheel, a lever pivotally afiixed to said body and coupled to said latch means for disengaging said latch means and said ratchet wheel, and said means aflixed to said hoist drum for rotating the same including a revolving disc, braking means having a shoe engaging said disc at the periphery thereof and a pivoted brake lever mounted to said body and affixed to said shoe, said brake lever and said latch lever being in proximity with each other and being simultaneously actuatable by the respective application of thumb and finger pressure thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.21,405 Stiehl Mar. 19, 1940 505,974- Canan Oct. 3, 1893 1,283,022 Arden Oct. 27, 1918 1,566,030 Marks Dec. 15, 1925 1,824,606 Lichtenberg Sept. 22, 1931 1,955,457 Gauer Apr. 17, 1934 2,123,904 Lehman July 19, 1938 2,192,807 Strom Mar. 5, 1940 2,304,486 Swanson Dec. 8, 1942 2,543,765 Davidson Mar. 6, 1951 

